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Bolivia says: The Copenhagen Accord will cause the temperature to rise to between 3º and 4º Centigrade

David Choquehuanca, Foreign Minister for the Plurinational State of Bolivia, along with representatives from five campesino and indigenous organizations, declared at a press conference on February 8, that Bolivia is very concerned about the inadequacy of the greenhouse gas reduction commitments made by developed countries in the Copenhagen Accord.Choquehuanca stated: “The commitments, of the developed states, related to greenhouse gas emission reductions will result in more than three degrees increase in temperature above pre-industrial levels. Some experts even say that the temperature could rise as high as four degrees above pre-industrial levels. The situation is serious. An increase of temperature of more than one degree above pre-industrial levels would result in the disappearance of our glaciers in the Andes, and the flooding of various islands and coastal zones.

For the Bolivian Minister, the demand made at the Copenhagen Conference was that the greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 40% or more below 1990 levels by 2020. However the emission reduction targets in the Copenhagen Accord of the countries that have been historically responsible for global warming only amount to 12% to 18 % by 2020.

“The way these commitments have been made in the badly named Copenhagen Accord shows that this is a backwards step from the Kyoto Protocol” exclaimed Choquehuanca. “In the Kyoto Protocol. everyone had to first define a common goal for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and then it was up to the developed states in Annex 1 of the Kyoto Protocol to make reduction commitments to arrive at this objective. Now the methodology that is imposed by the Copenhagen Accord is that each developed country notes what it is going to do without considering the common target.”

“What is happening, in terms of greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments by the developed countries. reinforces the need for a World Peoples’ Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth Rights, that will be held in Bolivia, concluded the Minister. “This Conference will be a transparent and inclusive event, in which no one will be marginalized. The conference will be attended by citizens, social movements, scientists. We have also been inviting all the governments and the organizations within the United Nations to participate as delegates and experts to discuss along with the peoples how to address the crisis that affects us all.